Volunteer at the Valaam monastery. Volunteering on Valaam - my impressions
This wonderful archipelago is located in Karelia on Lake Ladoga. And an Orthodox male stauropegic monastery has stood and flourished on it for several hundred years. But before I start the story, I’ll give a short introduction to how I, a non-believer, learned about the island and got there. I want to immediately announce that the author in no way offends the feelings of both believers and non-believers. Everything written here is purely my subjective opinion.
This was at the beginning of the 20th year. January, frost, unexpected vacation. Where would you like to go? The choice fell on St. Petersburg. Bring only a backpack, sleeping bag, mat and $100. But I didn’t know where I could even spend the night. I was lucky to get on the second ride all the way to St. Petersburg. The driver once lived and worked in the Valaam Monastery, so he brought me to the compound (it’s like a branch) in St. Petersburg, and said: “Try to ask for an overnight stay. Good luck.”
They let me in. Spent three nights there. On Christmas, I washed dishes all night (since it was the end of Lent, all kinds of dishes were being prepared), and spent the days wandering around the city. In the cell, people spoke with bated breath about the island as sacred and mysterious place, about which it is impossible to say out loud. Naturally I became interested. What a wonderful island, a wonderful place in the middle huge lake? And the kindness of people, their unexpected help awakened the desire to join the church.
September of the same year.
- They say the ship will be canceled - the weather is bad.
Our volunteer group of forty people was in the dark. From Priozersk we must go on two old boats to Valaam. Rainy and foggy. But the captains make a decision, and we set sail, having first heard an excellent curse from the sailors (or lake people?) for the slow movement of our bodies and the incorrect loading of our bags into the hold.
Eh, beauty! Rain, fog, waves of an unkind dark metallic color. I stand, swing on the deck and feel like a Viking. True, this feeling gave way to boredom, because it’s four hours to walk, and without an ax and a beard, what kind of Viking am I? The cramped cabin is uncomfortable. The pitching causes vomiting, it is easier on deck, but it is very cold. Having somehow settled down, you try to sleep, but you can’t break it and pass the time.
Before leaving for the island, I imagined wooden log houses, lack of electricity and cars, reading by candlelight... My hopes were dashed. Diesel power station plus an electric cable laid along the bottom of Ladoga, cars, snowmobiles, mobile connection and other benefits of civilization.
Volunteers are housed in the attic floor of a large house built in the nineteenth century from red brick. It still bears its old name: the Workhouse. Two cells for women to the left of the stairs, two cells for men to the right. On the second and first floors there are communal apartments for residents, the entrance is gloomy and contains cat excrement. But it doesn’t matter, we came here in order to help a needy monastery free of charge and recharge ourselves spiritually.
Nine in the morning, general gathering, agronomist Nikolai Ilyich distributes who goes where. Basically, volunteers are engaged in completely various jobs. But they can also use professional skills. For example, plumbing, painting murals, driving a truck, etc. But there are great universal activities. In summer - harvesting hay, in autumn - fodder beets, cabbage or potatoes. That's where we ended up. It took about two weeks for them to be collected and taken to the farm. A huge pile of 80 tons was formed. Even for me, Bulbash, this is a novelty. They were sorted there and then taken to basements for storage. The work was going well. The group was excellent. But it doesn’t happen once in a while. The race lasts three weeks, and the bulk of the people change. There are outright fanatics, fixated, closed ones, but what can I say, we are all different. But the first time, the first group were just wonderful. There were actors, musicians, journalists, interesting people from unpopular professions, and even foreigners. After a day of work, we walked around the island, celebrated birthdays, burned big bonfires, where we sang songs. Humanity! From big cities come here, plunge into the atmosphere of working in a team that is similar to an ancient community. Very interesting, useful for some. Diversity of life is a factor of existence.
In September there is an unusual duty for men. At night, guard the cabbage or beet field from moose. There are many of them living on the islands. This is a nature reserve and hunting is prohibited. Wandering through the forests, you sometimes come across them, but the moose are afraid and leave. And in late autumn, when there are few people left on the island, only local residents, workers, and monks, moose are not afraid to go out into the fields in groups and graze in full view of everyone.
There is a lot to see in the archipelago. Rocky coast, beautiful bays, inland lakes, hermitages, an old pine tree, which I. I. Shishkin depicted on his canvas, the remains of Finnish military fortifications and much more. On Sundays there are excursions to the island monasteries and the bell tower, which offer a wonderful view. And on Wednesdays there is “Sunday school”. It takes place in the form of a conversation with a theologian. Everyone can ask a question. There are very comical, but for some, important questions. For example, one woman was worried that she was eating rich pastries during Lent, could not stop herself, and felt very guilty before God. What prayer can I use to make amends?
Some get to work at monasteries, where volunteers use the opportunity to communicate with monks. Monks are also people, I would say, no different from us. Talkative, gloomy, cheerful, gloomy, selfish, grumpy, withdrawn, open, careerists, altruists... Sometimes you see the following picture: a monk in black robes with a long black beard walks in the company of chirping girls in headscarves, and smiles at all 32. O what is he thinking now? Apparently, the mind and body pacify. By the way, girls are prohibited from wearing short skirts here, but there are some tourists. Imagine a young monk who is already driving his thoughts away, praying fervently, distracting the urges of nature. And here she is... Hormones hit you on the head no worse than a hammer.
We often go to the farm. There is an opportunity to have lunch with the monks and novices. The meal begins with prayer, everyone sits down, and one continues to read the gospel. At the same time, the atmosphere is mysterious, mystical. In general, men can dine with the monks every Sunday at the main manor. The monks are fed very well. Even if you compare the meal during Lent, not every family in the country can afford such varied and healthy food. And I’d better not say anything about the festive table.
The farm has a special significance on the island. It not only provides milk, meat and eggs, but also accepts people addicted to drugs and alcohol for re-education. It was probably done this way on purpose, because the work here is not pleasant. In Orthodoxy, one of the main principles of faith is humility. So the guys clean up the cow dung during day and night shifts. And it’s impossible to breathe in the chicken coop because of the feed and chicken droppings. Not everyone can tame their pride and leave. Some live for months, others for years.
Here, for example, is Father Agapius. I came here very young, with a trained mohawk. The abbot even smeared a cow pat on his face for poorly cleaning the cow before the arrival of the monastery authorities. It’s okay, I’ve resigned myself. Now he too takes a place in the bureaucratic Orthodox ladder. And when he gives orders, he receives true pleasure. You can see it in the eyes.
However, people with difficult fates are not only on the farm. Some have the death of a relative, some have an unhappy love, some are after prison, but the main reason is alcoholism. Many people live like this: they come in the hope that the special atmosphere, prayer and the smell of incense will help get rid of the green serpent. They can live here for more than one year. They're leaving for " mainland", and they start again. Then again here. Such is the cycle of the inhabitants of Russia.
The volunteer run lasts three weeks. But if you want, you can stay for... as long as you want. When we checked in, Father Andrei met us in his cell with a cigarette in his mouth. More precisely, just Andrey. As a father, he was a white monk, serving in the city church. He lived on Valaam for a long time, and while other visitors go into different spheres of monastic life (some as novices, others as workers for a salary), then he remained a volunteer. There is a reason for this. Andrey puts it behind the collar. But this does not affect his character. A very kind, sympathetic person. And he will help with advice, and not only. :Andrey plays the guitar. And volunteer commander Nikolai Ilyich is also a huge soul. He always forgives. You can't drink on the island - you'll be kicked out. But, of course, these are all conventions. After all, there is a store near the main temple. And the huckster, do you think not? The store is closing, you can buy it from a speculator at exorbitant prices. But why hide it, you can buy hashish without any problems! After all, not only monks live on the island, but also ordinary local residents, who are a thorn in the side of the monastery authorities. By hook or by crook, it gradually evicts them and wants all the land for itself. And now a little history. Where do people here come from who have nothing to do with monasticism?
Historians do not have a common view on the date of foundation of the Valaam Monastery. Some associate it with the time of the Baptism of Rus', others attribute it to the XII-XIV centuries. More than once during the Swedish invasions, the monastery experienced devastation for many decades. Plague and disease visited.
In the 15th century, Alexander Svirsky labored in the monastery. He lived as a hermit on Holy Island in a small cave. There are also excursions there.
In 1588, Tsar John Vasilyevich, feeling the approach of death and lamenting the innocent victims of his wrath, sent a synodik to Valaam for eternal commemoration of those who suffered during his reign. How generous...
According to legend, in 1371, Valaam monks saved the Swedish king Magnus II, who was washed up on the shore of the island by the Ladoga waters. A strong storm smashed his ship to pieces. He converted to Orthodoxy and became a monk, but soon died. Now a small pebble testifies to his burial.
By 1811, there were no longer wooden buildings in the Valaam monastery; construction was carried out from brick. Brick was produced on the island. To this day you can find whole and broken bricks with the inscription "V.M." and year of production. Many take it home for souvenirs.
After the October Revolution in 1917, Finland gained independence, and Valaam ended up on its territory. The military command considered the Valaam archipelago as a border outpost of the state on Lake Ladoga; intensive fortification work was carried out on the islands.
In 1939, on November 30, the Soviet-Finnish war began. The Valaam archipelago was not the site of military operations, but the monastery was bombed more than once.
In March 1940, a peace treaty was signed, according to which Karelia ceded to the USSR. According to the agreement, residents were given several days to leave the transferred territory for Finland. In the same year, the New Valaam Monastery was founded in Finland.
For thirty-two years (1952–1984) there was a boarding house for war invalids and the elderly. The fact is that after the war, Soviet cities were filled with crippled front-line soldiers, left without relatives and housing. The “Great” Communist Party decided to resettle all disabled people away from human eyes. Perhaps these people made it difficult to create the impression of “prosperous socialism.” But the island is isolated and there are residential buildings. This is where the great warriors of Zhukov, who broke the fascist machine, ended their lives. There is a cemetery in a deplorable state where they are buried. The people who still live here are the children and grandchildren of disabled people and service personnel. Soviet artists even depicted the settlers in paintings.
The end of the 80s was the first stage in the restoration of the monastery. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 13 monasteries at the Valaam Monastery, and currently eleven have been restored. Among them is the Vladimir monastery. It is carefully guarded. If you walk nearby in the forest, guys with machine guns will chase you away. This is the residence of V.V. Putin and the Patriarch. Sometimes they arrive by helicopter. They and other VIPs are met in jeeps.
But it’s cramped for the gentlemen at the dacha. I had the opportunity to unload logs for the construction of a new residence for the patriarch on a separate island. The die ship has arrived. They brought us slaves. God's. The unloading happened like this. A group of ten people pulled out the log using a rope. At the same time, they had to flee. I watched in horror at the heels of the latter, which were a meter away from the rushing five-hundred-kilogram log. A little hiccup and they could have been crumbled. Then the tree was rolled onto a pile using crowbars. Very hard, hard labor. But for the glory of God...
Winter is a special period in the life of the island. It is long and harsh. No summer tourist bustle. It is easier for the monks to visit each other by walking, and some ride on snowmobiles. The smell of smoking stoves... In March, when the thick crust freezes, it becomes possible to visit the nearby islands on foot. That's where we saw the Finnish artillery tower and barracks. And one more pleasant moment - there is no snow-covered roads on the island. Therefore, there is no dirt and slush, everything is in harmony with each other. Forest, houses, domes, roads and people.
Sometimes we chop wood. This, and trips to the farm, are an outlet for us. Because the main activity of volunteers in winter is sorting through potatoes in the basement. There are four of us left: me, a thirty-year-old guy Nikolai, father Andrei and Ilya. New volunteers do not come because navigation ends in November-December. Their time is from May to October. I shared a cell with a guy from Kyiv, Ilya. At home he consumes everything that pours, burns and injects. His mother sent him here for a year, in the hope that he would change. I think it's useless. He waited for next August as the end of his term, as a desired demobilization. And I was constantly in search of something clear. And I found it! What was mentioned above.
Sometimes the tasks for our volunteer brigade were downright mocking in nature. After harvesting the cabbage at the end of October, the roots had to be dug out from the frozen ground. The Finnish excavator stood for about two weeks, no one needed (the Finns are doing land reclamation on the island). But as soon as the thermometer showed minus, we had to clear its tracks from frozen dirt with crowbars and shovels. At the very beginning of winter, they cut down bushes from the ditch, floundering knee-deep in snow. Humble yourself, brothers, humble yourself.
Tractor driver Vitaly, a simple Russian guy of short stature with a rough, commanding voice, was looking for a partner at the oars. “Place a net and catch fish,” he smiled. So we started going every two days until spring. It was interesting for me to swim in Ladoga. I had no experience, so I had to learn how Vitaly swears deliciously and maintains his balance with amazing dexterity. I had to keep the boat parallel to the net on the waves and walk along it, while Vetal, standing, took out the fish. Over time, I got the hang of it, and after changing the clocks we went out in the dark. When winter came, it was necessary to take the boat from the shore to the main estate. Chains were put on the wheels of the tractor and a trailer was taken. The water has not frozen yet, but the rocky shore is frozen. Vitaly drives the trailer into the water, I put the boat into the trailer, immediately jump out to hold it, my felt boots get wet and immediately become covered with an ice crust, and he tries to get out. The roar of the engine, sparks, back and forth, back and forth, but in the end we leave. A boat for the winter, the nets are rearranged on the inland lake and stretched under the ice.
The last ship arrived on December 31st. There was already ice, but weak. We and the work crew nicknamed “Special Forces” (because they are sent everywhere, to any job, just like us) had to unload it before eleven in the evening. New Year- a secular holiday, insignificant for believers.
The rest of the time, communication with the mainland occurs by hovercraft and large Trekol all-terrain vehicles. Crossing frozen Ladoga, the pillow gets stuck in the hummocks. In this case, it must be swung left and right. And the icy breeze blows to the bones. In the all-terrain vehicle we had to ride on bags of cement. The shaking knocked off my head, shoulders and elbows. It seems to be going on a well-worn track and then bam, God knows what begins. Water, ice and snow are mixed together, the engine is straining, the driver is turning the steering wheel, but we are leaving. There is nothing to be afraid of, the car does not sink, and even in water it can move by turning its wheels.
There was such a case. WITH new group a guy came as volunteers. The first day it didn’t come out, the second, and at night it didn’t. Then we find out that he spent two days near the temple, but we don’t know what he wanted. He was immediately kicked out by the big security guys. They put you on a ship: get out. Well, it’s not like he’s crazy, he’s crazy. But what about philanthropy, fathers? After all, sometimes a priest can be more effective than any psychotherapist.
At the end of May I finally got ready to leave. I asked my boss if I could stay for a couple of nights at the farmstead. They replied that there were no places. And between the words it was explained: “Who are you?!” But I went anyway, to ask face to face. And while I was waiting for my refusal at the checkpoint of the compound, I heard the conversation of the new head of security. He gave orders what to buy, how to build security for the territory. It felt like a professional. The courtyard will turn into impregnable fortress. For what? What does modern monasticism want to undermine? From whom to close?
There is a special level of monasticism: schema-monks, hermits. They live in isolation, sometimes attending services in the main church on major holidays. There is great wisdom, strength, and emptiness in their eyes. Their life is a real feat. "It's easy to defeat others. Try to defeat yourself." These are the words of a monk who had to fight in Afghanistan. Now he leads a hermit life.
Human nature is incorrigible. Word and action can look attractive and ideal. But based on them, a system is created. And as we can see, any system is greedy, destructive and devours the creators and participants themselves.
Came for one, saw another. Invaluable experience has been gained, horizons have been expanded, stereotypes have been destroyed.
Nowadays, ideological work is underway with the Russian population, which praises the last Tsar Nicholas II and the Orthodox faith. The modern state imposes on people that autocracy is good. Therefore, in conclusion I would like to cite a quatrain, the author of which was, perhaps, A.S. Pushkin. Only for reflection and debate in which the truth will be born.
We will amuse good citizens
And at the pillar of shame
Guts of the last priest
We will strangle the last king. Since 2005, more than a thousand people have taken part in the Valaam Monastery project - "Volunteer on Valaam". The idea and organization of not just labor or pilgrimage, but a volunteer program with the participation of foreigners (regardless of their religion, gender and age) belongs to the Transfiguration Valaam Monastery and its inhabitants. The monastery's housekeeper is Father Ephraim, who is leading the work of volunteers who are restoring the unique agriculture that exists in the conditions of a risky farming zone. Our correspondent visited as a volunteer Maria Mironova.
Morning
The desire to visit Valaam has been brewing in me for a long time. Therefore, when I found out that it is possible not only to get to a distant and inaccessible monastery, but also to work hard there, she did not fail to take advantage of it. It turned out that Valaam is closer than it seems and further than thought.
Dry autumn. Karelia. Morning in the workhouse. Through the window of a small women's cell one can see the Transfiguration Cathedral - the heart of the Valaam Monastery. The bells are ringing. I wash my face cold water in the attic, hung with washed clothes, I return to the cell. Neighbors Lena, Anya, Ksenia and Masha are already ready. Our outfit is simple: skirts over trousers, headscarves, rubber boots, and each person has two pairs of gloves. We go to the refectory, where breakfast is always millet porridge, cookies and tea; and then we gather at the entrance to the workhouse to go to obedience in a truck.
Nikolai Ilyich, the head of agricultural work on the island, sends us to the farm. A farm is an entire agricultural complex owned by a monastery, including cultivated fields, a livestock farm, a poultry house, outbuildings, and a residential building for the monastic brethren and workers. The drive from our Estate, where the workhouse stands, is no more than ten kilometers. There is a lot of work on the farm: removing hay, chopping firewood, collecting woodpiles, preparing the barn for painting. Some of the women stay to help in the refectory, others will go to do the preparations. Fortunately, in the Valaam forests there is no shortage of either mushrooms or berries. And we are going.
On the way, the truck stops at the pier of Monastyrskaya Bay, where by that time workers had already gathered, who, together with male volunteers from our truck, were pushing a large ten-meter frame of the pontoon into the water. A barge standing here will drag it to Malaya Nikonovskaya Bay, where the monastery trout farm is located.
“Stay with us! - at this time Nikolai Ilyich calls everyone. - So far all over the world economic crisis, better place you won’t be able to wait it out anyway.”
He’s right after all, I think. - On an island, remote from both comfort and the bustle of the city, you discover the very essence of yourself, and you begin to understand the people nearby better. You see more, hear further and feel as if thinner. And all this cannot be compared with a hike, or a trip to a village, or even a pilgrimage. Working on Valaam, you are immersed in the local atmosphere, the atmosphere of a place with a thousand-year history, full of pain, sorrow and loss, illuminated by the joy of faith and the prayerful feat of the brethren. We are accustomed to the fact that the river of life flows from the past to the future, but here it seems to be moving in a third direction - to eternity.
Without cassocks
Sitting in a circle, we cut apples for drying in the vestibule of the farm refectory. Six knives flash in a circle above a huge saucepan. Novice Alexander and monk Agapius enter us:
“And here we have an office,” he makes an eloquent gesture in our direction. And he adds, “When you finish the pot, we’ll drink coffee with gingerbread.”
You know how to motivate employees! - we laugh.
Later, after pouring the apples onto the dryers, we actually drink coffee on the glassed-in veranda. Outside the windows is the water of Ladoga, the Moscow Strait and the yellow-green September shores in the rocks. Someone's cassock is drying on a line near the barn. Quiet, warm and cloudy.
In the city I didn’t smile so often, but here I catch myself smiling more and more often,” says Anya and looks at the water.
The inhabitants of the island call Ladoga the sea, and the main land - the world. And from here that world seems very distant, and one’s own life on the island is simple, but otherworldly, outside of time, in the flow of God’s will, where every movement of the soul matters.
The sound of an engine is approaching. An old woman gets out of the boat. Supporting her by the arms, she is taken somewhere deep into the farm. “This is Mary,” noted her father Agapius from the veranda. “She came here once to work for a short time, but became seriously ill. She was already dying. And before her death, she was offered to take monastic vows. Maria agreed, and as soon as she cut her hair, she recovered and remained to live on the island.”
The amazing phenomenon of the island lies precisely in the fact that people come here for a day or two, but stay for years. Not even in order to join the brethren, but because, apparently, worldly life here is colored differently than on mainland, light.
The workers and I have two beds in our cells, and in the middle there is a table. “All this resembles a coupe,” says Sergei. He works as a driver on the island - the most needed person at any time, since the length of Valaam is about ten kilometers, and the monasteries are located at different ends of it.
“I pitched this idea to the others, that it’s like we’re living on a train,” he continues. - So we joke: well, what station do you have a ticket to?
What about hares?
No, no, you can't sneak through here like a hare. There are no hares. This is different: the main thing is not to leave early.
Andrey, like many here, came to Valaam for a day, and has been living on the island for almost two years. Once a journalist and television broadcaster from Ostankino, he has now changed his life, works as a feeder on a farm and has no plans to return to the capital. I ask him about the peculiarities of the life of workers, and Andrey readily tells:
We live the same way as the brethren, according to the rules of the monastery. Unless we wear a cassock. Well, I still smoke.
And how do you, a worldly person, live in a completely different way of life?
It can be difficult. You will go to Father Benjamin: “Why is it so hard, father?” He answered: “And you remember: without sorrows the day will be lived in vain.” And somehow it becomes easier, and another time the father himself will ask: “Well, how was your day?” “Not in vain,” I answer.
Meeting with yourself
In the summer, many students come as volunteers, mainly from St. Petersburg and Moscow, in the fall - older people from various cities of Russia. Foreigners (from Slovenia, France, Belgium, Serbia, England, Sweden, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland and the USA) come to the island in search of real Russia. However, the same thing drives residents of megacities - the desire to touch shrines and history. For many, Valaam becomes a meeting with themselves.
And the monastery, while remaining strict and closed on the one hand (the Skete of All Saints is closed to women, and even men need a special blessing to go to the Skete of the Baptist), on the other hand, is very democratic and hospitable. On Wednesdays, volunteers meet at Sunday school, where the monks of the monastery talk about Orthodoxy and answer questions. On weekends, Father Ephraim conducts excursions around the central estate of the monastery (the main and main part of the monastery), organizes trips to the newly built Vladimir skete and to the islands of Lembos and Svyatoy, where the Elias monastery and the cave of St. Alexander of Svir are located. Sunday liturgy traditionally ends with a joint meal for the brethren and parishioners (men, of course). And most importantly, volunteers are invited to participate in divine services in the monastery hermitages, because almost all the roads of Valaam lead to the temple.
Don't tweet
The refectory on the farm is full of mushrooms: russula, honey mushrooms, chanterelles, milk mushrooms - in buckets, pans, boxes and even in a small bathtub that came from nowhere. Armed with knives, we bend over the boxes, and at the same time share recipes and impressions of life on the island.
It’s a strange thing, because wishes come true here.
And instantly! I wanted it, I got it.
I also heard about wishes, it’s like a local legend. Therefore, you should think ten times before wishing for something. Otherwise it will fall on you right away.
Oh, well, this is also a temptation!
And the day here goes on for three, and all the joys and sorrows are three times stronger,” adds Irina, a florist from St. Petersburg, Alexander’s assistant at the refectory. It’s no longer even surprising that she “came to the island for a short time and had no intention of staying at all.”
Be quiet here! - Alexander looks sternly at the veranda, - If you tweet, I’ll quickly send you to the barn to sort out the potatoes.
We fall silent.
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In addition to the farm, the island has a bakery, a power plant, a fire service, a blacksmith, an icon-painting workshop, a school, a library and even the monastery’s own darkroom. Valaam is a state within a state, an embodied utopia. At first it was surprising that there were no beggars or beggars anywhere on the island, neither on the pier, nor on the estate, nor near the temples. However, where do they come from: anyone will be immediately fed, given something to drink, and if he wants to work, he will be left at the monastery.
Evening with jam
In the evening, Anthony brought lingonberry jam, made from berries collected here on the island. But after dinner no one sits in the cell. Katya and Darina asked Uncle Slava for a fishing rod and went to one of the inland lakes. Uncle Slava himself strums the guitar. Masha is preparing for communion at her place. Ivan decided to confess for the first time and also reads in his cell, not paying attention to the working radio.
Anya and Ksenia, artists from St. Petersburg, in free time go to sketches. Therefore, having filled their backpacks with paints, taking tablets and paper, they go to the Skete of All Saints, far from the banal tourist trails and routes. With the outlines of its quaint turrets, the All Saints Monastery resembles fairytale castle, lost in the forest. Meanwhile, this is one of the strictest monasteries on Valaam. There is no electricity here, no hot water, only a bathhouse once a week, women are not allowed to enter the monastery, and services are held not only in the morning, afternoon and evening, but even at night. After the sketches they will return, and we will see each other in the temple.
At the late All-Night Vigil on the eve of the beheading of John the Baptist, the lower church is full and quiet. It’s dark, the candles are burning yellow, and the monks are moving in their light: all the brethren are participating in the service. Solemn and mysterious service. The heart stops for a moment - suddenly the famous male choir of the Valaam Monastery breaks the silence, singing the Sermon on the Mount.
Another day on Valaam has ended - one in three. The lights in the large women's cell had already been turned off. We are still rustling, drinking tea, stringing mushroom souvenirs from the forest on a string, and reading Leskov. Through the attic window I climb out onto the sloping roof of the workhouse. Fresh, in the volumetric cosmic blackness, it’s as if a cathedral was painted. Crickets chirp. The domes stand out like blue marshmallows in the contrasting light of the bell tower lighthouse. Above, billions of stars, large and small, twinkle in the clear sky. Like in the palm of God's hand.
Afterword
My trip to Valaam took place last fall. Since then, much has changed in the fate of the heroes of the report. Natalya got a job as a postman and stayed to live on the island. The artist Masha went on an internship with the icon painters of the Vladimir monastery. Alexandra trained to be a tour guide and this summer began taking tourists around Valaam. Alexey joined the army and serves in a military unit here on the island. Alexander was baptized. Anya and Ksenia returned to the island again as volunteers. Vlad stayed to work on the farm for the winter, and this year he himself welcomed a new arrival to the volunteer camp. And they all met together during the Christmas holidays, which the monastery gives to those who worked here in the summer or autumn.
June 23, 2017, 00:16"Accidents are not accidental" (c)
Nothing just happens in our lives - I was convinced of this once again.
I don’t want to say pompous words, but at that moment I needed to completely change the situation so that I could think about myself, about what was happening in my life and make some decisions.
In another telephone conversation “about nothing,” my friend mentioned her friend, who regularly goes to Valaam as a volunteer. And it clicked in my head - here it is! Just what I need. I read the reviews, collected information and became even more confident in my opinion.
I would like to note that it is not very easy to become a volunteer on Valaam; those interested fill out applications with February - March, but apparently the stars were completely favorable to me - the next race was beginning, and there was a shortage of volunteers at the Valaam farm. I quickly filled out the form and sent the request, and a couple of hours later I received a positive response. But the fact is that I couldn’t go for the entire duration of the stay due to work, so I warned the organizer about this and asked about the possibility of going only for 10 days. And here they also met me halfway, but the shortage of funds for the farm also played a role. Now, after living there for 10 days, I don’t understand why the volunteers were rushing to the fields and vegetable gardens of Valaam and didn’t particularly want to go to the farm, but more on that below.
So, a little bureaucracy and facts:
Volunteers are provided with a transfer from Priozersk ( Leningrad region) to Valaam on the monastery ship "St. Nicholas", accommodation and meals. The daily routine is absolutely gentle - 8.30 - breakfast, from 9.00 to 13.00 - obedience (this is the name of any work on the territory of the monastery), from 13.00 to 14.00 - lunch, from 14.00 to 18.00 - obedience and then free time. On Saturday obedience until 12.00, on Sunday - a day off.
For women, scarves, headscarves and skirts below the knee are required (can be worn over jeans)
Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited, smoking is not encouraged, but there are specially equipped smoking areas. There is only one shop on the island, with a rather meager assortment and outrageous prices (bananas - 100 rubles, apples - 190, for example).
And they also conduct special excursions for volunteers (for example, to the Ilyinsky monastery on the island of Lembos, where tourist group don't get there)
Friday came, the day of my departure, I arrived in Priozersk. The ship was already at the pier; all sorts of supplies were being loaded for the needs of the monastery.
This, of course, is not a comfortable ship, but that makes it all the more interesting. Provided that the wave is not very strong, it will take 4 hours to walk along Ladoga to Valaam. It is possible to hide from the rain only in the hold on the bow of the ship, an area of ten square meters with wooden benches - "Titanic", 3rd class))) And so, the deck is open, but if there is no rain, everyone is mostly upstairs, because not everyone every day there is an opportunity to see the endless Ladoga like this: 
On the Meteora, due to the speed of movement, the impression of the views is completely different, but here you leisurely walk along the waves and have time to take in all the beauty:
They recommended taking Dramamine with you, but I don’t have seasickness, but some people got quite seasick; there was a light storm in one section of Ladoga.
And now, four hours have passed, we approach the monastery bay and we are met by St. Nicholas Monastery:
And just on the approach to Valaam we pass along the island of Svetly, where the Chapel of the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God is installed. This island is also notable for the fact that peacocks live on it)
Monastery pier:
Unfortunately, I didn’t take a photo of the meeting itself; it’s a special spirit and mood when complete strangers greet you with a smile and clapping their hands.
I was met by the wonderful Olya, the deputy of Father Agapius, the head of the farm. She was involved in everything related to the cheese factory and farm store. She took me to my place of residence and briefly outlined further actions and passed me on to my neighbors and colleagues.
About living conditions: those volunteers who worked in the fields and territory of the monastery lived in the so-called Workhouse: 
We, farm volunteers, lived in a two-room apartment in cozy house with a view from the windows of the Transfiguration Cathedral:
The corridor in the front door is, of course, impressive (on Valaam there is only stove heating):
But the conditions in the apartment are excellent. Father Agapius takes care of his volunteers in deeds, not in words. Equipped kitchen with all household appliances, including washing machine, shower and toilet with all necessary household items.
Each room has four beds, a table, chairs, bedside tables and a wardrobe. Those. no tent conditions. For comparison, in the Workhouse, volunteers had a common shower on the floor and on a schedule, rooms for 6-8 people and no kitchen.
Directly about work:
At 9 am, all the volunteers gathered near the Workhouse and their work was distributed to them. Some were sent to distant monasteries to work in the gardens, some to tidy up the territory of the monastery, some to help in the refectory. We always had one route - to the farm) Here in such a colorful car:
Valaam farm:
So what should a farm volunteer do? Heads of cheese were brought to us from basement storage facilities, which we had to peel, cut, package and pack. In addition, they monitored the Ricotta so that all the whey was drained before packaging, and that kefir and sour cream were poured and packaged.
The sterility in the cheese factory is perfect, everything is washed every 30 minutes, this is monitored by the cheese monks. Let me deviate from the topic - when the idea of cheese making on Valaam arose, the monks were sent to Italy for training. And they are still sending them so that the process can be improved.
This is what the cheeses look like in the cellar and after cleaning - on ceirt:
Ricotta:
The head of the farm is Father Agapius, the sun man:
Cheese monks:
It was hard on the first day, my legs and back ached because I was unaccustomed to it, but then I only enjoyed the work, I say this without lying.
I’ll continue about sterility - if you’re on Valaam, buy farm products without fear. I have never seen such an OTK. The slightest crack on the head of the cheese is immediately discarded, although this does not in any way affect the taste or quality. They put a sticker on a jar of sour cream almost off-center - it’s a waste jar, everything should be perfect.
All products are affixed with a sticker with the company logo: 
The farm produces the following products:
Milk, kefir, sour cream, ricotta, cottage cheese and cheeses. Caciotta is the youngest cheese, tender, creamy, with a crispy crust. Monastico - 6 months of aging, moderately hard, moderately salty, ideal for a sandwich. And Monastico, 9 months old, is a hard cheese, a relative of Parmesan. The cheeses are divine, when you cut the head there is a bright aroma of cream.
In general, the products are beyond praise - I don’t drink milk in everyday life, I only use it in coffee and porridge. Here I drank at least a liter a day. Kefir is thick, like Greek yogurt, with a fat content of 1.5%. Sour cream is like butter. The most tender, satisfying cottage cheese.
The volunteers were given a full set of products with them every day - these were the best breakfasts of my life. Coffee with milk, which tastes better than store-bought cream, cottage cheese with sour cream and grated black currants, and then some cheese!
The work was easy, there was absolutely no pressure or obligation.
Now about free time. However, on the farm the schedule was a little flexible - we could be asked to stay late, but the next day we were released early.
Arriving home, we went to the refectory and, depending on desire and circumstances, went for a walk together or alone.
About food. Meal on Valaam- holy time, regardless of anything. The diet doesn't have much variety, but it's delicious - it's mind-blowing. Simple Russian cuisine, but all made from natural products. Breakfast in the refectory is porridge, but we, farm volunteers, had cottage cheese and cheese for breakfast in our apartment) Lunch - soup, main course, fresh salad and compote. Soups - pea, borscht, lentil, fish soup. Second - several side dishes, our own stew (marbled beef and ribeye resting), stewed squid, vegetable sauce, vinaigrette. Considering that the monastery has its own trout farm, we regularly had creamed trout on the table, either baked on a grill or lightly salted. My bread is simply unreal, I filled my pockets with it, because I have never eaten anything tastier, you can eat a loaf in one sitting.
Not once in 10 days did I want a hamburger, sushi, or chocolate. Only food from the refectory and seeds)
After dinner I went for a walk around the neighborhood and hermitages. Some photos:
The most amazing excursion is to the islands of Ladoga, where remote hermitages are located. I cannot call myself a deeply religious person, but when we were brought to the Ilinsky monastery, I felt what is called the pompous word “grace.” Never in my life have I experienced such peace and tranquility. This is truly a magical and sacred place:
The complete opposite is Svyatoy Island, where the grave and cave of Alexander Svirsky is located. A harsh, prickly, inhospitable place. This feeling, in my opinion, comes from the history of this island, where Alexander Svirsky arrived, built a cave in the rocks and prayed there almost around the clock:
And another excursion was to the Vladimir monastery (the same one where the residence of the late Patriarch Alexy and VVP is located). We were strictly forbidden to photograph the residences, so only the monastery itself:
And this is my personal trip to St. Nicholas Skete:
Now about impressions:
This is an extraordinary relaxation. I didn’t think about anything, about the situation in my life, or about the events in the country, I didn’t read Gossip and Baginya, I didn’t go to Contact. I was and, most importantly, LIVED there. You can talk about these impressions endlessly, but only those who lived there will understand it. I was completely happy when, after working on the farm, throwing my backpack over my shoulders, I walked around the surrounding area and hermitages.
I repeat, I am not a deeply religious person, but here the place itself puts you in the right mood, all these days were unusually bright.
I can’t say that after this trip my life turned upside down, but something changed in me, I found answers to some questions. I have become calmer and some little things that used to bring me to tears are now perceived with a smile.
And the most important thing is that I will be back there in literally a month and a half. After all, as the head of the Priozersky pier said when we arrived from Valaaman, well, did everyone get Valaam’s injection, got hooked? Yes, I'm hooked. And how can you not return to such sunsets? 
P.S. The photo is partly mine, partly Google.
I have always been interested in who the “volunteers” are, what they do, why they like it... And is it really possible to attend for free? interesting places whether there is time left for rest. It turned out that one of my friends, Anna Loskutova, has been traveling for free to the island of Valaam as a volunteer for several years, and she agreed to talk about her work and about Valaam:
Volunteer in a fairy tale
“Magic Country”, “Wonderful Island”, “Pearl of Ladoga” - it’s all about one thing
an extraordinary place located in the heart of Lake Ladoga. And the name of this place is Valaam. For
it's just for someone geographical name, for some it is a place of pilgrimage, for others
– living history, and for those who happened to live there for at least a few days, this is a fairy tale in reality.
The island is truly unusual, how much has been written about it, how much has been said, and everyone, perhaps, agrees on one thing: A trip to Valaam can change a person’s life. The island is said to have three characteristics. First: here all desires that please God are fulfilled. Second: people stay here for as long as they need. And third: if you are lucky enough to be here, know that this happened for a reason.
What kind of island is this, and why does it attract people so much?
Valaam is an archipelago consisting of almost 50 islands. Since ancient times, this island has been considered a place of power. In ancient times, temples were built on it, and since the 14th century it became a monastery of Orthodoxy. At all times, many miracles took place there, and they continue to happen now. This may be due to the fact that the island is located on unusual place– almost 2 billion years ago, the earth’s crust split here, resulting in the formation of a basin, which subsequently filled with water and became Lake Ladoga. After the collision of tectonic plates, a hill arose that became an island. After the glacier passed through it, Valaam finally formed its unique carved outlines.
The nature of the north and south collided here, which is why there is such a variety of landscapes: you can see rocks and plains, fields and meadows, swamps and lakes, coniferous and deciduous forests, plants and animals characteristic of different latitudes. Incredible beauty! The sunsets are especially stunning...
On Valaam there is almost always sun, rain is extremely rare, this is because the gabbro-diabase stone that makes up the island heats up and disperses the clouds with warm air currents, they say that sometimes paratroopers hover over the island and cannot land, they have to land at a distance from the island into the water.
In addition to its natural beauty, the island is famous for its architectural gems. Several hermitages, both stone and wooden, were built on Valaam, which are a man-made decoration of the island. At all times, Valaam was sung by poets and writers, and artists painted landscapes with inspiration. Valaam was especially loved by royalty. Our current president is no exception in this sense and regularly visits the island on private visits to rest and pray.
How do you get into this fairyland ordinary people? There are many ways: on a meteor with a tour, on your own with a tent (parking is paid separately), you can also come as a worker (there will be almost no free time) or a pilgrim (a little expensive). You can take free courses and work as a tour guide on Valaam for a month. All these methods have their pros and cons. Another path turned out to be closest to me - the path of a volunteer.
Volunteers are voluntary assistants to the monastery. Unlike workers, anyone over the age of 18 can become a volunteer, regardless of religion. There are two types of volunteers. Some are engaged in rural labor: weeding fields, making hay, etc. Others work mainly in flower beds. Living and working conditions are different, so the first group includes “ascetics”, and the second group includes those who are accustomed to more comfortable conditions. A volunteer’s working day is from 9.00 to 12.00, then a break and from 14.00 to 17.00. We work half a day on Saturday, Sunday and church holidays- we are resting. Work without pay, in gratitude for the work, the monastery provides free food, accommodation, boat passage from Priozersk, excursions to the central estate and remote islands. In your free time, you can attend monastery services, walk around the island, and swim in specially designated areas. On special occasions, communal bonfires are permitted. A special blessing for volunteers is to visit Valaam at Christmas and Easter. During these periods, few ordinary people manage to get to the fabulous island.
The volunteer movement on Valaam is very popular; registration for the summer-autumn season begins in February. In the fall, foreigners are invited to Valaam, and mixed volunteer groups are formed. All details can be found on the monastery website and in contact groups: http://vk.com/volonter.valaam, http://vk.com/pearlofladoga.
My volunteer journey to Valaam began in 2009. Since then, every summer I go to a fairy tale. So many unusual meetings, events, stories happened there during this time! I visited remote islands, including Holy Island, where Alexander Svirsky lived in a cave, whose incorrupt body is still in the Alexander Svirsky Monastery in Ladeinoye Pole. I worked on Svetly Island, where peacocks live and “distinguished guests” relax, visited a yacht sailing through Valaam to the North Pole, attended several times the divine service conducted by the patriarch, and last year, while walking along a forest road, my friend and I came across a cart, which headed by V.V. Putin. He was driving and smiled at us warmly. It was unexpected;)
The life of volunteers in an ancient Orthodox monastery is incomparable to either tourism or pilgrimage. It's not only active economic activity in the lap of nature, touching the shrines and history. A meeting with Valaam is a meeting with oneself.
Full description
Who is needed
Man
Woman
18 - 70 years
Knowledge of languages
Additional Information
We invite men and women over 18 years of age, without bad habits or addictions, and healthy enough to engage in agricultural work, to participate in the “Volunteer on the Island of Valaam” program.
What to do
Home Economics
Decoration
Gardening
Cooking
Agriculture
Number of working hours
33 per week
Number of days off per week
Additional Information
Daily routine: 8.30 breakfast (on Sundays, holidays no breakfast) 9.00 - 12.30 departure for obediences 12.30 - 14.00 lunch and rest 14.00 - 18.00 departure for obediences 18.30 dinner, free time From Monday to Friday - full working days throughout the monastery. On Saturday work only until lunch. Sundays and twelve holidays are days off. The daily routine may change depending on the weather (in heavy rain, work in the fields is not carried out, and during haymaking and urgent obediences, the working day can be extended or added).
Conditions
Housing
Bed space
Nutrition
Volunteer Contributions
Labor remuneration
More about the conditions
Each volunteer travels independently and at their own expense to the monastery pier in the city of Priozersk. And at his own expense he makes the journey from Priozersk to home. Program participants are provided with free passage across Ladoga from the city of Priozersk to Valaam and back on a monastery ship; three meals a day (lenten and fast - to choose from); accommodation in monastery dormitories; excursions as part of the program.
Additional terms
Students can
For adults only
Additional Information
On the territory of the monastery, women must wear thick (not transparent) skirts below the knees (over trousers is possible) and headdresses (scarf, headscarf, hat, cap); deep necklines and bare shoulders are not allowed. It is convenient to have several skirts: for the temple, several interchangeable ones for work. Men must cover their torso and wear trousers with legs below the knees. The use of alcohol and drugs while staying on Valaam is strictly prohibited for all program participants.
